The data was included in Wednesday's gross domestic product report, which showed the economy expanded at a 4.0 percent annual pace in the second quarter after shrinking at a 2.1 percent rate in the January-March period.

Consumer spending in the second quarter increased at a 2.5 percent pace and the rise in June augurs well for an acceleration in spending in the third quarter.

Spending is being supported by steady gains in income, which rose 0.4 percent in June, thanks to an improving labor market.